Turandot | The Opera 101 The Opera 101 Fill out the fields below to contact us! Your name * Quiz About Turandot is Puccini’s final opera (unfinished at his death) and perhaps as a result, it is by far and away his most musically adventurous. As in Madama Butterfly , the score is filled with Asian touches, the percussion section in particular packed with gongs and various tuned instruments (xylophones, glockenspiels and the like). It is still, however, an Italian opera with the outrageously titled Ping, Pang and Pong a spin on classic Commedia dell’arte characters. Turandot at the Royal Opera House It’s an opera that blends epic chorus passages with some brilliantly intimate moments. Indeed the chorus plays a much more significant role than in Puccini’s other operas, acting as an onstage witness to well over half of the action. The opening is a powerful series of five chords, said to musically depict an executioner’s axe falling, and that hair-raising effect is spectacularly well maintained throughout.

The Opening of Turandot Turandot also contains arguably the most famous tenor aria in all of opera, "Nessun Dorma", an instantly recognizable piece of music that has lost its dark meaning by being repeatedly considered out of context. The conclusion stretches incredulity even by operatic standards, but as Puccini didn’t write it, he can’t be blamed! Characters Formerly king of Tartary. Currently old and blind. Synopsis Act I - Running Time: 35 mins The curtain rises on a surging crowd. A mandarin announces that anyone wishing to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles. Failure means death. The Prince of Persia has just failed and will be executed when the moon rises. The bloodlust of the crowd is dealt with brutally by the palace guards, and Timur, a blind, old man is knocked to the ground. Liu, his slave, cries out for help and Calaf comes to their aid. As luck would have it Calaf is Timur’s son! Timur was king of Tartary, making Calaf a prince, but has long been deposed. Only Liu has remained faithful to him.

Calaf warns them not to mention his name as he fears being discovered by the Emperor. Turandot at the Forbidden City Calaf (Jose Cura) © Johan Persson/Royal Opera As the moon rises the Prince of Persia is led to his death. The crowd appeals in his favor but Turandot appears and signals for the execution to continue. Calaf sees Turandot and falls in love. The Prince of Persia is executed. Blinded by Turandot’s beauty, Calaf is about to rush forward and bang the gong, signaling that he wishes to take the riddles, when Ping, Pang and Pong appear. The jaunty threesome tell him not to risk it, as do Timur and Liu, the latter being not very secretly in love with Calaf. Calaf is touched but never the less runs forward shouting Turandot’s name and bangs the gong three times. Turandot accepts his challenge as the curtain falls on Act I. Act II - Running Time: 50 mins Scene 1 Ping, Pang and Pong discuss their place in society, interspersing humor - do we prepare for a wedding or a funeral - and nostalgia - we are living in an era of endless death.

A trumpet sounds announcing the entrance of the Emperor. Scene 2 The Emperor asks Calaf to withdraw his challenge. Turandot emerges and begins to describe why no man may possess her. (This is actually the first music she sings in the opera.) Her ancestor Princess Lo-u-Ling ruled until she was raped and murdered by a foreign prince, and Turandot believes Lo-u-Ling lives in her. Out of revenge, no man will ever have her. She advises Calaf to withdraw but he is having none of it. She gives the three riddles... What is born each night and dies each dawn? What flickers red and warm like a flame, but is not fire? What is like ice, but burns like fire? ...each of which he correctly answers. Turandot is distraught at having to marry and pleads with her father, but he insists that she go through with it. Calaf, believing love will win out, gives her one possible escape: he is a prince and if she can learn his name before sunrise, then he will die at dawn. Turandot accepts and the curtain falls - the Emperor hoping the Prince will be his son.

Act III - Running Time: 40 mins Scene 1 Turandot has commanded that no one sleep until the Prince’s name is discovered. Everyone will be killed if they don’t learn the name and she has to marry. Calaf awaits the dawn, and while he’s at it sings a ditty called "Nessun Dorma" (you’ve probably heard it before). Placido Domingo sings "Nessun Dorma" Ping, Pang and Pong turn up and try to buy off Calaf with women and riches. He is not interested. They then drag in Timur and Liu but Calaf pretends he knows nothing about them. They get roughed up a bit, and suddenly Liu, to protect Timur, claims that she alone knows the Prince’s name but will not give it up. She is tortured but still refuses. Turandot asks why she would suffer such pain and she answers love. Turandot doesn’t think much of this answer so she has Liu tortured further. Liu tells Turandot that she will soon learn love before promptly taking a dagger off a soldier and stabbing herself. As Liu falls dead Timur must be informed since he is blind, and he cries out in sadness.

The crowd and he leave with the body of Liu. Calaf chastises Turandot for effectively slaughtering the heart and soul of the opera and then pulls her in and kisses her. (At this point Puccini finishes and Alfano takes over). After the kiss Turandot is horrified but gradually she softens. She reveals that she has always (since Act I at least) both hated and loved the Prince. She tells him to leave, but he bravely reveals his name: “I am Calaf, son of Timur.” His life sits in her hands... Scene 2 Predictably but rather unbelievably - not to mention mawkishly - the couple approach the emperor and Turandot announces that she knows the Prince’s name and it is love. Everyone is happy and the opera ends to the tune of "Nessun Dorma". Turandot finale in MET's Zeffirelli production © Marty Sohl/Met Opera Major Arias Tu che di gel sei cinta Liu Where in the World Turandot takes place in fictional ancient China. Peking is specified (marked in Red), which is the old name for Beijing, but it might as well be set in Shanghai for all the geographical detail.

Story Origins Nizami Ganjavi The story of Turandot originates in a French collection of fairy tales by François Pétis de la Croix “Les mille et un jours” translated into English as “The thousand and one days”. You might know “One thousand and one nights” or the “Arabian Nights” from which we acquired Aladdin, Sinbad, Ali Baba and host of other famous tales. These collections shouldn’t be confused however, “Nights” is made up of genuine Middle Eastern stories compiled in Arabic over centuries. “Days” has a more dubious provenance. In many cases these stories only exist in de la Croix’s rendering leading some to believe he might have conjured them up himself. If Turandot has a precursor it is a 12th Century work by the Azerbaijani poet and philosopher Nizami Ganjavi “Seven Beauties”. In any case, Puccini arrived at the text through a Schiller play that was in turn a German version of an Italian commedia dell'arte by Carlo Gozzi who took the story from the de la Croix.

Puccini was first introduced to the text in an Italian translation of the Schiller by Andrea Maffei who is perhaps most famous for writing the libretto to Verdi’s I masnadieri. Puccini wasn’t the first composer to get to it either. Antonio Bazzini wrote Turanda in 1867, Ferruccio Busoni Turandot in 1917 only a few years before Puccini began his. Puccini had not heard Busoni’s version but Bazzini had been a teacher of Puccini’s in Milan. History Puccini was always a fastidious and deliberate composer, but the writing of Turandot was an especially drawn out process. In the four years before his death, Puccini vacillated over the number of acts, whether or not he should turn his attention to something less serious, and absolutely fixated over the final love duet that he believed was the essential, earth-shattering culmination of the entire evening.

Despite these circumstances, he poured himself into the work, writing to a friend in March 1924, “I have placed, in this opera, all my soul.” Premiere Program from La Scala Turandot premiered at La Scala in Milan on 25 April 1926, almost a year and a half after Puccini’s death. Puccini’s friend Arturo Toscanini, who had worked on the score with the composer during the last months of Puccini’s life, conducted the premiere. As is widely recorded, when the opera reached the last note written by Puccini, Toscanini ended the performance. What he said at the time has been variously reported, from the poetic “Here death triumphed over art” to the poigniant “For me, the work ends here.” An eyewitness quoted in a recent biography puts it somewhere between the two: “Here ends the opera, because at this point the maestro was dead.” The Alfano version was presented the following night. Fun Facts Popular? Birgit Nilsson as Turandot The 16th most performed opera in the world from 2007-2012, according to Operabase.

This frequency was not always the case. Beginning in 1930, Turandot was not performed for more than three decades at the Met, after Maria Jeritza, who premiered the role there, sang her last of 23 Turandots. It did not return until 1961 when Birgit Nilsson took on the princess, a role she owned in New York until 1970, singing it 52 times. The long break was due at least partly to a dearth of sopranos capable of singing the difficult title role, a criteria which some opera lovers of a certain age feel should be applied today to any role ever sung by Maria Callas. In China Until the end of the 20th century, Turandot was banned in the People’s Republic of China because the government felt the opera portrayed China unfavourably. The ban ended in style, with an epic performance in 1998 given in the Forbidden City, the home of actual Chinese emperors until they stopped having them in 1912.

The production was originally staged and conducted in Florence, Italy, by Zubin Mehta and Chinese film director Zhang Yimou (who later directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics). A documentary called “The Turandot Project” tells how the production eventually came to China and how it was adapted. There is also a video of the actual concert (you can see a clip in the synopsis), with the snappy title “Turandot at the Forbidden City of Beijing.” Vincero The second syllable of vincerò, “I will win,” is a high B, near the top of most tenors’ ranges and a nice note for them to show off. As the Ricordi vocal score shows, that B is really just a sixteenth note, a grace note. The final syllable, on A, is supposed to be held, although again not nearly as long as it generally is by the large-lunged tenors of today. While Lucciano Pavarotti may be credited with popularizing this basking in high-B land, the trend actually goes much further back.

In fact, one of the few (if not the only) tenors to end the aria the way Puccini wrote it is Francesco Merli, heard here from the first complete recording of Turandot, done in 1938. Compare with Pavarotti, live from San Francisco in 1977. options font-size=14 width=400 space=20 player=true tempo=60 accidentals=standard tabstave notation=true tablature=false notes :8d B/4 :16 D/5 | :hd G/5 :8d D/5 :16 B/5 | :w A/5 Francesco Merli sings Nessun Dorma, 1938 Pavarotti sings Nessun Dorma, 1977 The Ending How to end Turandot remains an ongoing problem. After Puccini’s death, his friend Arturo Toscanini, who would conduct the premiere, suggested the task of finishing the opera be given to the young composer Franco Alfano.

Alfano had piles of Puccini’s sketches from which to work, but much of it was difficult to decipher, including the intriguing note regarding the love duet “Then Tristan...” referring to Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde, which ends absolutely breathtakingly as the soprano transfigures in a love-death to be with her true love who has already died. An edited version of Alfano’s ending, which no one really finds satisfactory, pretty much rules opera houses today, although in 2001 the Italian composer Luciano Berio, produced a version that many critics feel should supplant the Alfano version. Among other attempts were Janet Maguire’s rather less successful go in the 1970s and Chinese composer Hao Weiya (see the Mo Li Hua fun fact). Mo Li Hua The Jasmine Flower song, or Mo Li Hua, was one of several traditional Chinese tunes that Puccini incorporated into the score of Turandot. He likely heard the piece on a music box belonging to his friend Baron Alberto Fassini. It is still sufficiently popular that it is a track on Disney's Baby Einstein: World Music album.

It was also the tune used by Chinese composer Hao Weiya to end the opera in his 2008 attempt at (another) new ending. That latest attempt was, perhaps not surprisingly, adored by the Chinese press but probably will not supplant the Alfano ending any time soon. Mo Li Hua from Baby Einstein: World Music In Brief Librettist Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni Language Italian Date of premiere April 25, 1926 Number of Acts 3 Turandot: Nessun Dorma Turandot Commentary on Symbolism, Poetry, and "Nessun Dorma" I wrote this almost two years ago in answer to a query on the rec.music.opera newsgroup about a translation of "Nessun Dorma", the famous tenor aria from Puccini's Turandot. Since it is a frequent request, I've posted it here. The Italian libretto of Turandot is copyright 1926 by G. Ricordi & Co. The inclusion of the text of the aria "Nessun dorma" is a quotation for the purpose of illustration and commentary, as permitted by the fair use doctrine of U.S. copyright law.

All other text is copyright © 1997, Mark D. Lew. Someone wrote: > I would very much appreciate either an english translation or an > internet source for a translation to the Turandot aria Nessun Dorma. This calls for a bit of discussion, I think. The libretto of Turandot doesn't translate easily because it's so heavily poetic. Not just the lyrics, but the entire plot, which (as many befuddled listeners have complained) doesn't make much sense if taken too literally. Forgive me if I recap most of the plot, but the poetry of the aria is too tied up in the story not to discuss it.... As you probably know, Turandot is the beautiful cold-hearted femme fatale princess who lures love-struck princes to their death. Anyone who wants to marry her is asked three riddles: If he answers them right he gets to marry her, but if he doesn't he is beheaded. This is stated at the very beginning of the opera as "the law" ("La legge è questa:").

It is not so much a government decree as a mythopoetic law, almost like a magic spell, which no one in the kingdom -- not the emperor, not Turandot, not the ministers -- can go against. In the first act Calaf, the "Unknown Prince", rings the gong, signifying his declaration as a suitor to Turandot. In the second act he correctly answers the three riddles. According to the law, Turandot now has to marry him, even though she doesn't want to. But instead of claiming his prize, Calaf now poses a riddle of his own, saying to her: Tell me my name before morning, and at dawn I shall die. ("Dimmi il mio nome, prima dell'alba! E all'alba morirò!") Take this literally and it's a dumb move on his part -- he's already won, why should he give her another chance to get away? -- but of course nothing in this opera makes sense if taken literally. Naturally, the Prince's statement is poetic.

Furthermore he WANTS to "lose" the game; he wants her to tell him his name and he wants to "die." Besides being another instance of the Lohengrin/Rumpelstiltskin guess-my-name game (which can be traced to religious beliefs of pre-Christian Germany) the Prince is telling Turandot of his true goal. (Notice that he does not say "IF you guess my name....") He doesn't want her to marry him reluctantly; he wants to defeat her cold-hearted defensiveness and have her fall in love with him. This is, in fact, exactly what happens at the end of the opera, and the metaphors are quite explicit. The veil which Turandot wears (and which Calaf rips) is described as "cold" ("fredda"), for instance. So when the Prince poses the riddle, the name he refers to is not "Calaf", but rather the name she will ultimately give him: "Amor" ("Love"). That is, he wants her to love him. This, incidentally, also makes sense out of the scene where Liù is killed.

When Turandot orders Timur to reveal the name, Liù says, "The name that you seek I alone know." ("Il nome che cercate io sola so.") Huh? Timur doesn't know his own son's name?? Literally, of course he does know; but poetically, Liù's statement is correct, because she's the only one who is in love with the Prince. Where the Prince says "then I shall die", he really means "die" in the sense of lose himself completely to true love. Yes, I know, death-equals-love sounds like a pretty perverse metaphor, but it's a persistent one (and more common in Romance languages than it is in English). For an example in English (albeit written by an Italian), when Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief sings, "O sweet thief, I pray, make me die," she isn't hoping that he'll murder her.... The aria "Nessun dorma" is near the beginning of Act 3.

At the end of Act 2 Turandot hasn't yet figured out all this love poetry business, and still thinks that she just has to get someone to reveal the Prince's name and then she can chop off his head. So she puts out a decree that no one in Peking is allowed to sleep until the name is revealed. Act 3 opens in gloomy night with lugubrious chords in the orchestra (technically, minor chords with augmented 7ths and 11ths). Some heralds are announcing Turandot's decree, "Tonight no one in Peking sleeps" ("Questa notte nessun dorma in Pekino"), and the chorus gloomily repeats the words "no one sleeps" ("nessun dorma"). In the first words of his aria, the Prince is repeating the words of the chorus. The G major chord that opens the aria is the first optimistic-sounding chord we've heard since intermission and it breaks through the gloom like the light of dawn. The translation, finally: Set**, stars! At daybreak, I shall conquer!

* "Dire sulla bocca", literally "to say on the mouth", is a poetic Italian way of saying "to kiss." (Or so I've been told, but perhaps a native speaker can confirm or deny this.) I've also been told that a line from a Marx Brothers movie -- "I wasn't kissing her, I was whispering in her mouth" -- is a conscious imitation of the Italian phrase. ** "Tramontate" literally means "go behind the mountains", but it's the word Italians use for sunset and the like. It's also a word Turandot uses after Calaf kisses her: "E l'alba! Turandot tramonta!" ("It's dawn, Turandot descends!") This suggests yet another mythopoetic theme which pervades the Turandot libretto -- the sun god's defeat of the moon goddess -- but I won't get into that.... Copyright © 1997, Mark D. Lew Postscript: Since writing this, I have been informed by an Italian speaker that "dire sulla bocca" is not a common Italian phrase, as I incorrectly suggested, and that he has never seen it anywhere but in the Turandot libretto.

Aria guide: ‘Nessun dorma’ with Rosario La Spina | The Opera Blog Aria guide: ‘Nessun dorma’ with Rosario La Spina By Jennifer Williams , December 1, 2014 Rosario La Spina as Prince Calaf in Opera Australia’s ‘Turandot’, Sydney Opera House, 2012. Photo by Branco Gaica. Did Puccini know, when he wrote his last opera, that he had penned one of the most popular melodies in history? Turandot is a wonderful opera about an exotic, ice-hearted princess, but the fame of the aria at its climax has far outgrown the fame of the opera itself. The aria ‘Nessun dorma’ has always been a show-stopping aria – Puccini knew a thing or two about devastating top notes – but when Pavarotti gave an emotional performance of the piece at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, the aria suddenly went from a well-known opera hit to a top 10 popular classic. It was played in kitchens and football stadiums, sung by pop stars and on talent shows and featured in any number of movies.

Nearly every tenor has it in his repertoire – and some of the most famous refuse to sing it, for fear of always being compared to the great Pavarotti. Australia’s own Rosario La Spina is renowned for his rendition of the famous aria, and he will sing it on New Year’s Eve in Sydney and again in Turandot next winter at the Sydney Opera House. The singer’s perspective “The aria ‘Nessun dorma’ is one of the most beautiful in the repertoire,” La Spina says, “and because of its fame it places a great deal of expectation on the tenor who has to sing it!” For all its hype, the aria is not one of the most difficult pieces in the operatic canon, La Spina says. “But it requires incredible stamina, especially when performed in the opera, because the tenor has already sung two acts! You must be fresh enough to deliver the aria with beauty of tone, but also a high B at the end that resonates hope, because in general, that is what the aria is about!” How does he achieve that?

“When I work technically on this aria, I always remember what my teacher Mr Ward would say: ‘Dear Boy, remember to always sing beautifully and don’t get sucked into the emotion of the piece. Always massage the voice and NEVER thump it – that will only cause fatigue and long term damage’. I feel very blessed to be given the opportunity to sing such spectacular music and I hope the public can enjoy this as much as I enjoy performing it.” Watch Rosario La Spina sing the spine-tingling ‘Nessun dorma’: While some believe ‘Nessun dorma’ to be a romantic aria, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Prince Calaf has beaten the cruel Princess Turandot in a game of riddles, and now she is bound to marry him. He gives her one way out: she must find out his name. Turandot declares none of the people of Peking must sleep that night. “Under the pain of death,” the heralds sing, “the name of the Stranger must be revealed before morning!” Almost tasting his victory, Calaf sings lustfully of his impending possession of the Princess, disregarding the fate of her people.

The words Turandot Synopsis - The Story of Puccini's Famous Opera Turandot Synopsis Turandot Synopsis The Story of Puccini's Famous Opera The Swedish soprano Erika Sunnegardh as the title character in Puccini's 'Turandot' at the Metropolitan Opera House on Saturday night, April 21, 2007. Within the opera's 3rd act, you'll hear one of the most famous arias of all time, "Nessun Dorma.". Photo by Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images April 25, 1926 - La Scala, Milan More Puccini Opera Synopses: Puccini’s opera, Turandot, takes place in ancient Peking, China. Turandot, ACT 1 In a crowded quarter nestled near the Forbidden City, a man announces an edict, saying that any prince wanting to marry Princess Turandot will first need to answer three riddles. If he answers all three correctly, he will marry Turandot. If he fails, he will die. The Prince of Persia is her latest suitor.

His fate was sealed prior to the opera's opening events; he failed to answer Princess Turnadot's riddles and now must die at moonrise. Citizens within the busy quarter, eager for bloodshed and entertainment, chant and urge the executioner to carry out his dark deed. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the mob, a slave girl named Liu suddenly cries for help when her elderly master, Timur, is pushed to the ground. continue reading below our video 5 Urban Myths That Rule the Ages She fears Timur is in danger of being trampled to death. Out of the shadows comes a strapping young man to aid them. He instantly recognizes Timur as his long-lost father, the deposed king of Tartary (which is now occupied by Chinese rulers). Afraid for his own life, Prince Calaf tells Timur to never say his name out loud. Both men are still running from the enemies who vanquished them from their own kingdom. Timur tells Prince Calaf that Liu has been his only faithful servant. When Prince Calaf asks her why, she tells him it was because Calaf once smiled upon her many years ago.

As the moon rises high in the sky, the Prince of Persia is brought to the place of his execution. The crowd falls deathly silent. Taken aback by his good looks and kind demeanor, the crowd, along with Prince Calaf, shouts for compassion and pleas for sparing the young man's life. Princess Turandot arrives, and unaffected by their cries, orders his execution with a swift and precise hand gesture. Prince Calaf falls completely head over heels for Princess Turandot upon seeing her for the first time. Losing all thought of the current situation, he proclaims his love for the princess and shouts her name three times as the Prince of Persia is heard giving his last cry before losing his head. Prince Calaf is determined to win Princess Turandot as his bride. As is customary for each potential suitor, Prince Calaf rushes to the ceremonial gong to signal his entry into the "contest." Three of Turandot's ministers (Ping, Pong, and Pang) try convincing Prince Calaf to change his mind - they do not want any more blood to be spilled. Timur and Liu attempt to talk Prince Calaf out of it, too.

It seems Liu is the only one that to get through to Prince Calaf by confessing her love for him. To their dismay, even that is not enough to stop Prince Calaf. He bangs the gong and Turandot accepts his challenge. Turandot, ACT 2 Wishing to be free of Princess Turandot's bloody reign, Ping, Pang, and Pong are in their quarters before sunrise reminiscing and telling stories of their past lives. They also share stories of Princess Turandot's previous (and unfortunate) suitors. Their time is cut short, however, as the palace trumpets sound. Princess Turandot's ceremony is about to begin. The townspeople gather under the warm morning sun to witness Prince Calaf attempt the impossible. Before Princess Turandot appears, her father takes his seat on the throne. Even the king begs Prince Calaf to walk away from the challenge. Again, Calaf refuses. Princess Turandot arrives and addresses the curious crowd by telling them a story of her ancestor, Princess Lou-Ling. Lou-Ling was brutally murdered by a conquering prince.

To avenge her death, Turandot explains she has turned against all men, and no man shall ever possess her. Her first riddle is told: "What is born each night and dies at dawn?" "Hope!" Prince Calaf declares. Turadot, unaffected, asks her second riddle: "What flickers red and warm like a flame, yet is not fire?" "Blood." Calaf is right again. This time, the princess becomes unnerved. No suitor has proceeded this far. She asks her third riddle: "What is like ice yet burns?" Silence falls over the crowd. A few moments later, Calaf shouts, "Turandot!" He is right again. The crowd cheers and congratulates Calaf, thankful his life was not lost and future lives of potential suitors were saved. Princess Turandot suddenly becomes aware of her reality and pleads with her father to release her from marrying Prince Calaf, who is nothing more than some stranger to her. Her father refuses. Prince Calaf, in order to calm her emotions, gives her a riddle of his own. If she answers correctly, he will agree to a death sentence. If she answers incorrectly, she will have to marry him.

She accepts Prince Calaf's deal. The prince's riddle is this: "What is his name?" He gives her until dawn to deliver her answer. Turandot, ACT 3 That evening, within the palace garden, Prince Calaf hears the decree that no one in Peking will sleep until Turandot learns the name of her suitor. If she does not learn his name, everyone in the city will be killed. Prince Calaf sings the famous aria, Nessun Dorma ("Nobody Shall Sleep"). The three ministers try to bribe Prince Calaf to withdraw his bargain, but again, they are unsuccessful. Mobs take hold of Prince Calaf and threaten him with daggers, and Liu and Timur are dragged in by soldiers. The prince tries to convince the mob that only he himself knows his name. When Turandot arrives, Liu, faithful to Timur, cries out that only she knows the stranger's name. Turandot orders her to be tortured, but Liu refuses to tell the secret. Impressed by Liu's loyalty, Turandot asks Liu how she is able to remain silent. "Love," answers Liu. Turandot spitefully commands her soldiers to increase the severity of Liu's torture.

In that moment, fearing Prince Calaf may intervene and get himself killed, Liu grabs one of the soldier's daggers and kills herself. Timur and the crowd follow Liu's body as it is carried away. The only people remaining are Prince Calaf and Turandot. He calls her the Princess of Death, yet forcefully kisses her. Turandot begins to weep, for that was the first time she has ever been kissed. Prince Calaf then tells her his true name. With Prince Calaf sitting on the throne, Turandot approaches and turns around to face the crowd. She tells them that the stranger's name is "Love." Nessun Dorma - aria from Turandot, Puccini - YouTube Nessun Dorma - aria from Turandot, Puccini Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Nov 9, 2010 Nessun Dorma from Turandot by Puccini is a famous aria.

Like Domingo or Pavarotti, this tenor sings another spectacular version of this aria with a big high b at the end. Solomon Chong from Malaysia singing Puccini's famous aria Nessun Dorma. Category The 10 best Nessun Dormas of all time | Puccini - Classic FM Classic FM The 10 best Nessun Dormas of all time 12th September 2013, 16:21 Ten great performances of Puccini 's operatic epic, and ten incredible top Bs. Placido Domingo No-one gets the drama across quite like Domingo here, performing on stage as part of Turandot itself. He's lovestruck, boundless with energy and desperate to open up, but his impeccable control keeps things under wraps until that incredible final phrase. Applause well and truly earned. Joseph Calleja He's been dubbed 'the new Pavarotti ' by especially eager sections of the classical press, but one listen to Calleja's Nessun Dorma confirms that, rather than a direct comparison to the great tenor , he should be judged on his own merits - and his merits don't get much better than this.

Mario Lanza Lanza was the first pop star tenor, the first tenor to really break through into popular consciousness. He had only done a little 'proper' opera by the time he came to prominence, but his reading of Nessun Dorma is truly powerful. Here, he sings it as part of the film Serenade, his penultimate movie performance that featured a variety of operatic arias. Andrea Bocelli Few tenors have quite so clear a voice as Andrea Bocelli , so the plaintive opening section of Nessun Dorma suits him perfectly. There are people who decry Bocelli's ability at the top end of his register, but he sounds perfectly comfortable here, performing at his iconic 'A Night In Tuscany' show. Jussi Björling This is a truly luxurious interpretation by the Swedish tenor - listen to how he extends certain notes to give them more impact, milking them for drama as he goes. But there's also something rather intimate about it, accompanied only by piano in front of a clearly appreciative crowd at Carnegie Hall.

Franco Corelli Corelli, like Björling, is a fan of drawing out certain phrases to give them emphasis, and you can hear him do it from the very beginning of this impeccably costumed performance. Beniamino Gigli This studio recording of Puccini 's most famous aria is surprisingly efficient - Gigli doesn't bother with all the over-wrought showboating that is so easy to fall into, he just rocks up, gets the job done and leaves it at that. José Carreras Another member of the The Three Tenors, another scintillating Nessun Dorma. Taken from a performance in Vienna in 1983, this is another interesting version, not only because of Carreras' stony-faced performance, but because of how he and conductor Lorin Maazel toy with the speed - especially at the climax. Francesco Merli This is an incredible recording for several reasons. Firstly, it's taken from the first time that Turando was ever recorded in its entirety in 1937, but more interestingly, it also shows just how indulgent subsequent tenors are with its performance.

Merli sticks exactly to the score, and doesn't hold that famous long note at the end at all - completely changing how it sounds to modern ears. This is precisely how Puccini wrote it, too - so this is probably the most 'authentic' version out there. Luciano Pavarotti Whether you think it's the best one or not, it can't be argued that without Pavarotti's Nessun Dorma it wouldn't be half as popular as it is. That incredible live performance, the soundtrack to the 1990 World Cup, the incredible sales… everything aligned for Puccini, Pavarotti and Nessun Dorma at just the right time. Nessun Dorma Lyrics and Text Translations - Calaf's Aria from Puccini's Turandot Nessun Dorma Lyrics and Text Translation Calaf's Aria from Puccini's Turandot Luciano Pavarotti is performing the role of Calaf in Puccini’s Opera, Turandot, at the San Francisco Opera House in 1977. Photo by Ron Scherl/Redferns/GettyImages By Aaron Green Updated July 18, 2016.

It's safe to say nearly everyone in the modern world is familiar with Giacomo Puccini 's famous aria, "Nessun Dorma" from the opera, Turandot ( read the synopsis of Turandot ), thanks to the BBC's choice of Luciano Pavarotti's rendition as that year's theme song for their FIFA coverage. Though the music was unusual for a sporting event, especially one as large as FIFA, the aria's Italian heritage and lyrics were in perfect harmony with the sentiments of the athletes, fans, spectators, and everyone else involved with the world cup which took place in Italy. With millions of people all over the world turning on their televisions and radios to watch and listen to the games, the aria and Luciano Pavarotti were catapulted into stardom seemingly overnight; "Nessun Dorma" has remained there ever since. (Learn why Pavarotti's performance of "Nessun Dorma" is so special.) "Nessun Dorma" Context You'll hear "Nessun Dorma" in the third act of Puccini's opera, Turandot.

continue reading below our video Great Singers Gone too Soon At the start of the opera, Calaf sees Princess Turandot for the first time and instantly falls in love with her. However, any man who wishes to marry her must correctly answer three riddles. Those who fail are killed. Despite protests from his father and his servant, Calaf accepts the challenge and is determined to marry the princess. Much to the delight of the princess's father as well as the entire kingdom, Calaf answers all three riddles correctly. Turandot realizes she must now marry a stranger and becomes upset. Calaf makes a deal with her that if she can correctly answer his own riddle before dawn, he will die. If she does not answer correctly, he will marry her. Turandot agrees and the countdown begins. Late that night, the princess declares that no one will sleep until she learns the name of her suitor. In fact, she cries out that everyone in the kingdom will be killed if no one steps forward to reveal Calaf's identity. Meanwhile, Calaf confidently sings "Nessun Dorma" (Nobody shall sleep).

Italian Text Nessun Dorma: the facts - Classic FM Classic FM Schedule Nessun Dorma: the facts What's the story behind Puccini's famous aria? And what's the connection with Pavarotti? Discover all the facts behind this operatic masterpiece. Puccini’s Nessun Dorma needs little introduction. Certainly, its historic and traditional place in the context of the imperial Chinese mayhem of Puccini’s grand opera, Turandot, is clear enough, as is its frequent use in recitals and recordings of popular arias. But in recent years, its wider popularity has continued to grow, making it the indispensable partner of many crossover and “popera” stars the world over. However, outside the opera house, its use and range of variants are more far-reaching than one might imagine. Obviously, it was the use of Nessun Dorma as the anthem of World Cup Italia 1990, as sung by Pavarotti, that first provided the vocal aperitif that whet the operatic appetite of a mass audience.

This foray into the world of popular culture was consolidated that summer, by the central role of Nessun Dorma in The Original Three Tenors Concert, courtesy of Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras. Although this was far from the birth of crossover, it was the defining moment when classical music, and in particular opera, gained a popular momentum and mass-market commercial viability. So 1990 was undeniably a golden year both for Nessun Dorma and crossover. However, the aria had already begun to enter the public consciousness much earlier in the 20th century. The powerful Swedish tenor Jussi Björling regularly sang Nessun Dorma as his big encore number some 30 years before Pavarotti. Moreover, in 1956, the great Mario Lanza gave a vigorous Hollywood rendition of Nessun Dorma in the film Serenade. Sadly, this slightly strained performance was his worst account of the aria, but his other versions are regarded by many as among the finest recorded by any artist. Lanza’s legacy has been a strong influence on more recent performers of Nessun Dorma, such as opera star José Carreras and crossover king Andrea Bocelli. Nessun Dorma...

for sopranos? There is even a parallel lineage for modern soprano versions of the aria. In recent times, there have been two such recordings: one characteristically sweet-toned version by Sarah Brightman, which can be found on her album Eden (2002) and reissued on her latest chart-topper Classics – The Best Of Sarah Brightman (2006); and another by the mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins, who performs her version on her 2005 album, Living A Dream. Nessun dorma even made an appearance in the Britain's Got Talent final in 2014, performed by singer Lucy Kay, who placed second in the TV talent content. So much for Nessun Dorma only being for the tenors. Nevertheless, as regards mass-market trailblazers, Hollywood was, once again, among the first to saddle up. Going back as far as 1943, Deanna Durbin, Hollywood’s singing sweetheart of the 1930s and 1940s, notches up a laudably heart-rending version of Nessun Dorma in His Butler’s Sister. Nessun Dorma... as a pop song?

Puccini's famous aria is something of a pop hit. After Pavarotti's version stormed the pop charts in 1990, the song has taken on a life of its own. Karen Cummings’s soprano voice soars above contemporary grooves in an ambient pop version of Nessun Dorma on Australian DJ-composer Daz Nuance’s DiVAR!A Arias (2005). And in 1999, the multi-Grammy-winning soul queen Aretha Franklin stepped in for a poorly Pavarotti to give an unrehearsed but characteristically soulful rendition of Nessun Dorma at the Grammy Awards. You might still be able to find a copy of her recorded version on the last track of her CD single Here We Go Again (1998). The performance is very much on Franklin’s terms rather than Puccini’s, but still has plenty of tingle-factor. However, some of the other versions by pop stars are not quite so commendable, such as those by Cliff Richard and Michael Bolton, as well as the saccharine rewrite of the aria by Neil Sedaka, as Turning Back The Hands Of Time from his 1995 album Classically Sedaka.

Possibly the only thing more perplexing than this bizarre version is why Nessun Dorma features on Harry Secombe’s 2001 album My Favourite Carols! Nessun Dorma... not just a solo piece The lion’s share of recordings of Nessun Dorma outside the opera house now fall to a growing succession of performers from the realms of crossover and “popera”. There are some fine versions at the operatic end of the scale, for example, the one by Roberto Alagna. At the crossover end, Russell Watson’s charismatic version from his debut album The Voice (2000) has proved a huge winner among a new wave of fans. Not least, though, the recent recording of Nessun Dorma by fast-rising Blackpool-born opera star Alfie Boe proves that his debut album, Alfie Boe – The Stunning New Tenor (2006), is aptly named. However, perhaps the most interesting and innovative aspect to emerge from the crossover end of the Nessun Dorma market is the number of arrangements for differing types and sizes of vocal groups. In ascending order we start with The Three Tenors.

We then have a male quartet version, two tenors, a baritone and a bass, courtesy of Simon Cowell’s X-Factor group G4, from their debut album G4 (2005). Next up is a five-part harmony version by two sopranos, two tenors and a bass-baritone from Amici Forever on The Opera Band (2003). And if those aren’t enough singers for your money, here are still more suggestions: the version of Nessun Dorma by the Morriston Orpheus Choir on Comrades In Arms: the Best of Welsh Choirs (2003), or indeed the one on the album Live In Paris – The Alexandrov Red Army Choir And Orchestra (2005). And if any Nessun Dorma junkies still need a fix after all this, they should try to get hold of a copy of the Japanese import album, 24 Nessun Dorma Da Turandot (2006). “None shall sleep?” I am sure that even Puccini would have agreed that, great as the aria may be, two-dozen Nessun Dormas on the trot is enough to render anyone Giacomo-tose.

Latest on Classic FM Giacomo Puccini's 'Turandot' : NPR Giacomo Puccini's 'Turandot' As he woos Turandot, Calaf (tenor Vladimir Galouzine) hopes he'll have a better fate than three of her previous suitors, in a production of Turandot from Houston Grand Opera. Brett Coomer hide caption toggle caption Brett Coomer From Houston Grand Opera, Calaf (tenor Vladimir Galouzine) woos Princess Turandot, and hopes to avoid the fate of her previous suitors. Brett Coomer Chris Holloway .... Prince of Persia Houston Grand Opera Orchestra and Chorus Patrick Summers, conductor THE HIT SINGLE Picking the biggest hit from Turandot is a no-brainer. In Act 3, Calaf anticipates victory over the willful princess in 'Nessun dorma!' — 'None shall sleep!' Here it is in two recordings, classic and current. One is by Franco Corelli, who rattled the rafters in the 1950s, and the other by Placido Domingo, who is still wowing audiences today.

The Essential Placido Domingo Embed Embed <iframe src="" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> The Very Best of Franco Corelli Embed Embed <iframe src="" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Remember Helen of Troy — the beautiful princess with the "face that launched a thousand ships"? Well, in Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot, the title character is another legendary princess — whose face chopped off a thousand heads! Turandot is based on an ancient fable, originating in Persia and set in China. It tells of a princess so desirable that men came by the hundreds, from all over the world, and queued up to vie for her love. There was a catch, of course. To have any shot at all with Turandot, a suitor first had to answer three vexing riddles — and anyone who failed wound up with his head on a stake, as a warning to all the suitors still standing in line. The opera tells us about the one fellow who did solve the riddles.

But winning the heart of Turandot turns out to take more than just three clever answers. In telling the colorful story, Puccini created an opera that's simultaneously extravagant, exotic, musically powerful and dramatically "over the top." That is, it's got everything an operatic potboiler could possibly want, and then a little bit more! Article continues after sponsorship As a bonus, the man who eventually wins Turandot's heart gets more than just the lovely princess. He also gets to sing what may be the most famous number in opera, the soaring tenor aria "Nessun dorma!" — "None shall sleep!" Even people who think they've never heard an opera aria have probably heard this one. It's been performed by everyone from The Three Tenors, to Sarah Brightman, to the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra! On World of Opera, host Lisa Simeone brings us a production of Turandot from Houston Grand Opera. The tenor who sings the big aria is Vladimir Galouzine , with the American soprano Jennifer Wilson in the title role.

The Story of 'Turandot' Email July 20, 200712:00 PM ET Turandot's ministers Ping, Pang and Pong discuss their cruel princess, and the bloodthirsty state of their kingdom. Brett Coomer hide caption toggle caption Brett Coomer Ana Maria Martinez sings the pivotal role of Liu in Houston Grand Opera's production of Turandot. Brett Coomer hide caption toggle caption Composer Giacomo Puccini died in 1924, leaving Turandot unfinished. Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Getty Images BACKGROUND: Turandot was first performed in 1926 at La Scala, in Milan. The story originated two centuries earlier, in a fiaba, or dramatic fairy tale, by the Italian writer Carlo Gozzi. His inspiration was a compilation of traditional Asian stories, and the tale of Turandot became even more famous when Gozzi's version was adapted by the German playwright Friedrich Schiller. Puccini began sketching music for the opera early in 1921. He wanted some authentic Chinese touches, so he listened to a friend's Chinese music box, and studied sheets of folk music.

But when Puccini died in November of 1924, the opera was incomplete. Conductor Arturo Toscanini suggested that the score be given to the composer Franco Alfano for completion. Toscanini wasn't thrilled with the result. He did conduct the premiere, but in the third act, at the point where Puccini's music stopped and Alfano's began, Toscanini laid down his baton. The score was eventually published with Alfano's ending, edited by Toscanini. ACT 1: The action is set in "legendary times" in Beijing. As the opera opens, a Mandarin reads a proclamation: Any man who wants to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles. If he fails, he will die. Turandot's latest suitor, the Prince of Persia, has failed the test and is scheduled to be executed that night. The people have come to view these events as entertainment, and an agitated crowd urges on the executioner. Suddenly, a slave girl called Liu cries out for help — her master has been shoved to the ground and is in danger of being trampled in the mob.

A handsome young man comes to her aid, and recognizes the old man as his long-lost father, Timur, the former king of the Tartars. Timur tells his son, Calaf, that he is still fleeing from his enemies, and that only Liu has remained faithful to him. Calaf asks her why. She says it's because once, long ago, Calaf smiled at her. As the mob cries out for blood, the moon rises. It's the sign for the execution. The condemned Prince of Persia marches by, and the sight of him moves the crowd so much that they ask Princess Turandot to spare him. She refuses. With a gesture of contempt, she tells the executioner to proceed, and the prince is beheaded. Despite her coldness, Calaf is entranced by Turandot and determines to win her over. He approaches a ceremonial gong, ready to strike it as the official signal that the princess has a new suitor. Turandot's ministers Ping, Pang and Pong try to discourage Calaf. Timur and Liu also beg him to stop. But Calaf strikes the gong and calls out Turandot's name.

ACT 2: Ping, Pang and Pong, recall all the lives lost to Turandot's whims, and hope for a more peaceful future. But for now, crowds are gathering to hear the princess put Calaf to the test. To begin his trial, Turandot recounts the gruesome murder of one of her ancestors, the story that explains her cold and vengeful nature. She then confronts Calaf with the first riddle: "What is born each night and dies at dawn?" "Hope," Calaf answers, correctly. Unwavering, Turandot asks the second question: "What flickers red and warm like a flame, yet is not fire?" "Blood," says Calaf. Turandot is shaken. No one else has ever gotten even this far with her riddles. She asks the third question: "What is like ice yet burns?" Boldly, Calaf answers, "Turandot!" Right again. Aghast, Turandot turns to her father. She begs him not to make her go through with the marriage.

Seeing her distress, Calaf proposes a riddle of his own: If she can guess his name by dawn, he will give up his claim on Turandot, and sacrifice his life. ACT 3: In the palace gardens, the stage is set for one of opera's most famous moments. There has been an official decree: On pain of death, no one in Beijing shall sleep until Turandot learns his name. Hearing this, Calaf realizes how desperate the Princess has become, and he ponders his impending victory over Turandot in the the aria — "Nessun dorma!" — "None shall sleep!" Ping, Pang, and Pong arrive and try to get him to call off the whole thing. It seems Turandot has told the ministers that they'll all be killed if Calaf's identity remains a secret. The citizens, crazed with fear of Turandot, threaten to stab Calaf unless he tells them his name. Suddenly soldiers enter, dragging Liu and Timur. These two, they say, have been seen with Calaf, and seem to know him. Calaf tries to convince the mob that neither one of them knows his secret.

When Turandot orders Timur to speak, Liu comes forward and says that she alone knows the stranger's identity. Turandot orders soldiers to torture Liu, but she says nothing. Turandot asks Liu what gives her such astonishing strength. "Love," Liu says. Unimpressed, Turandot orders the torture to continue. Afraid that Calaf might intervene to save her, Liu snatches a dagger from one of the soldiers and kills herself, saying that through her sacrifice, Turandot will learn about love's true power. Timur and the crowd follow as her body is carried away. Turandot and Calaf are left alone. Finally, Calaf takes her in his arms, and forces her to kiss him. Until now, Turandot has never experienced true passion, and she weeps. Calaf, confident that he has won her over, reveals his name. As the people sing the praises of the emperor, Turandot approaches his throne, and announces the stranger's identity. His name, she says, is "Love." Web Resources

Question: Which opera does the famous aria 'Nessun Dorma' come from?
Answer: 'TURANDOT'